Parental Guidance 2012

Here come the grandparents. There go the rules.

6.0 / 10   447 vote(s)
PG
Comedy

Artie and Diane agree to look after their three grandkids when their type-A helicopter parents need to leave town for work. Problems arise when the kids' 21st-century behavior collides with Artie and Diane's old-school methods.

Release Date 2012-12-25
Runtime 1h 44m
Directors Andy Fickman, Dean Semler
Producers Peter Chernin, Dylan Clark, Billy Crystal, Kevin Halloran, Samantha Sprecher
Writers Lisa Addario, Joe Syracuse

'Parental Guidance' drags.

It's very much a one-man band as the amusing Billy Crystal stops this from dropping to deeply low depths, he has a decent amount of good gags and is full of sharp wit. Bette Midler is a (not so) close second, she bounces off Crystal's comedy well. All of the cast that play their family are entirely forgettable, almost annoying in fact.

The premise, though it may conclude with a truckload of heart, is boring. It's a tale we've all seen before and it doesn't really add anything different in that regard. It does, to be fair, at least end with a positive meaning which you can't help but appreciate.

Unfortunately, all in all, this fails to the hit correct spot with me.

r96sk